Science
Facial recognition expert claims Lord Lucan is alive
Computer scientist Professor Hassan Ugail's AI photo analysis technology has positively identified an elderly man in Australia as Lord Lucan, a British aristocrat who vanished in 1974 the day after… Audio
Sunshine science: the power and peril of the sun’s rays
Summer is on its way, and this week we're exploring both the power and the peril of the sun. First, we visit the Ultrafast Laser Lab to learn about efforts to create better solar panels. Then, we hear… Audio
In search of better solar power
Summer is coming, and all we can think about is that sweet, sweet sunshine. Meet Dr Michael Price: a researcher using lasers to find better, more efficient solar panel materials.
Coming up
Maths without numbers can make you smarter!
There is such a thing as a stupid question. For example, what would happen if the Solar System was filled with soup out to Jupiter? But trying to figure out the answer can make you really smart… Audio
Maths without numbers can make you smarter!
Former NASA roboticist turned cartoonist Randall Munroe spends his days applying physics and math to answer crazy questions.. He tries to make science accessible in his latest book, "What If? 2… Audio
Gondwana: how New Zealand came to be from a supercontinent
Author and documentary filmmaker Bill Morris takes us back in time in his new book The Road to Gondwana - in search of the lost supercontinent. Bill says without Gondwana the planet and the trees… Audio
Stargazers treated to last lunar eclipse for several years
A total lunar eclipse took place very late last night, exciting those stargazers keen enough to take in the celestial light show.
There were crystal clear skies in the South Island but many further… Audio
The science behind tonight's total lunar eclipse
Tonight you can look upward and see a total lunar eclipse - definitely a sight not to be missed. But what's the science behind the spectacle? Audio
Total lunar eclipse to be accompanied by brighter than usual planets
Before midnight tonight, the last total lunar eclipse until 2025 can be seen in New Zealand. The forecast is cloudy in some places, but there's still a way you can watch it happen.
Research sheds light on Kākāpō pandemic mystery
New research has revealed more details about what caused the 2019 kākāpō pandemic which wiped out 10 percent of the population. Audio
Spying on our sewage
Covid-19 put wastewater testing on our radar, but what else can this technology tell us about our lives? Audio
Science surf report
Surfers! Science has some news for you. Research released this morning projects waves to get taller along the west coast, and shorter on the east. To explain this futher, Dr João Albuquerque from the… Audio
Rocket Lab hoping to repeat mid-air helicopter rocket catch
Six months after first catching a falling rocket part in mid-air - via a helicopter - Rocket Lab wants to repeat the feat again this weekend except this time do it better.
The company only partly… Audio
What's the deal with nuclear power?
New Zealanders have been proudly nuclear free for decades, but do we really know what nuclear power involves? Audio
Scientists find asteroid hidden by sun
Your mum might have told you not to look into the sun because it could send you blind - good advice.
The sun's brightness can also make large objects close to it difficult to spot.
A team of… Audio
Covid-19 cases could be 45 percent higher than counted
Covid-19 cases could be 45 percent higher than what's officially being reported.
The Ministry of Health says wastewater testing is indicating there are far more cases out there than showing in the… Audio
Dunedin man converting Hilux to an EV
Lots of people have a dream of doing up a classic car, but not quite like this: Dunedin man James Hardisty is converting his 1983 Toyota Hilux to be a fully electric vehicle.
He says it's costing him… Audio
What feathers can tell us about the past lives of seabirds
Behind the scenes at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, a "menagerie" of specimens is a treasure trove for curator Dr Matt Rayner, who is researching how the Hauraki Gulf's seabirds are faring using… Audio
Diving into the Japanese practice of forest bathing
The practice of shinrin-yoku or 'forest bathing' emerged in Japan in the 1980s, as an eco-therapy touted to have both physical and physiological benefits. The practice is one that has been adopted by… Audio
Seabird secrets in the museum backroom
Claire is back this week with a new story for Our Changing World. Inspired by Bird of the Year, she heads to the Auckland Museum to meet curator Dr Matt Rayner, and discover what the feathers of old… Audio
